


Different

by awhippedrobot



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blowjobs, Bottom Lee Minho | Lee Know, BoyxBoy, Felix is a literal angel, Lee Felix (Stray Kids) is Whipped, Lee Minho | Lee Know is Whipped, Lee Minho | Lee Know is a Sweetheart, M/M, Minho's parents are annoying, Minor Hwang Hyunjin/Kim Seungmin, Minor Hwang Hyunjin/Yang Jeongin | I.N, Minor Kim Seungmin/Lee Felix, Slow Burn, Smut, Soft Lee Felix (Stray Kids), Top Lee Felix (Stray Kids), boyfriend for a week, fake boyfriend, felix is chris's cousin, for ONCE Felix doesn't have a tiny cock, he's a grower okay, i guess we'll find out, i suck at tags but like see also this is meant to be soft, like so soft, lots of fluff, male relationships, minho is shy and maybe in love with jisung, minho pays felix to pretend to be his boyfriend, minho's family is kinda rich, minor appearances by chris and bin and jisung, or maybe not, stop doing my man dirty, there will be smut, there will be whipped boys i promise, these boys are cute af
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:48:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25398679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awhippedrobot/pseuds/awhippedrobot
Summary: Sometimes you need a fake boyfriend. Sometimes your friend hooks you up with their cousin who needs money and is pretty laid back. Sometimes you think you're in love with your friend but you're not. Sometimes you fall for your friends cousin, and sometimes that is the best possible thing that could have happened.ORMinho enlists Felix to pretend to be his boyfriend because his parents refuse to believe he is actually gay. During their spring break the two boys slowly fall for one another without realizing it.
Relationships: Lee Felix/Lee Minho | Lee Know
Comments: 24
Kudos: 193





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> This story is very inprogress.  
> Right now I have around 15k, and I'll update anywhere from 3k-5k per chapter.  
> I have no idea how long it's going to be, but it shouldn't be massively long, probably somewhere around 30-40k total.  
> I hope you guys like the first bit of this story, all feedback is appreciated!

“Minho honey!” His mother’s voice carried through the hallways of his home, the tone was almost sickening. He loved his parents, but he knew the differences in their tones. It meant he was going to loathe this interaction. The blonde-brunette walked out of his room and down the hallway into the family room, looking at his parents and one of their couple friends. 

“Yeah?,” he questioned, trying not to give away how he was already annoyed. 

“We were just talking to the Yang’s and they told us that the Choi’s are coming with us on our trip!” She was far too chipper for Minho’s taste. 

“Okay? I thought we knew they were going?” At this point his father cleared his throat, eyeing his son. They both knew he was annoyed, but his father wasn’t going to allow him to speak rudely to his mother. 

“Yes, well they said maybe, but they are definitely coming. Their daughter is single, and she’s looking for a nice boy to settle down with. Since you’re the same age I thought we could set you two up!” She clapped her hands excitedly, her friend Ryoojin grabbing her hands and feeding off of her excitement. Minho just rolled his eyes, crossing his arms firmly over his chest. 

“I told you already, I’m gay. Why would you set me up with her?” Both his parents cleared their throat. He was thankful that they accepted him, but setting him up with a girl was starting to feel the opposite. 

“Well…,” his father started, “we never see you with any boys. So we thought you just didn’t want us to set you up.” His mother nodded in agreement. 

“You don’t have a boyfriend so we figured you were just lying to us for some silly reason.” She tried to smile, their friends nodding in agreement with his parents. It was true, he didn’t have a boyfriend, but that didn’t make him any less gay. He groaned and spoke before he really had the time to think his plan through. It was a nine day trip, and eleven days total with travel. Their spring break was two weeks long, and it started in three days. So he had three days to figure it out after giving himself no other option. 

“I do have a boyfriend, I just wasn’t going to ask if he could come. Figured it would make everyone uncomfortable.” He kept his poker face on, trying to see if they would buy it or not. 

“O-oh!” His mother seemed taken aback. 

“Well then…,” his father rubbed his chin, scratching at the facial hair there, “I suppose bring him along. We’d like to meet him. That is, if he’s real.” His father smiled at him sweetly, but it wasn’t meant to be sweet. 

“He is real. You’ll meet him in three days. Unless you want him to sleep over the night before we leave? So that we don’t have to, you know, wait for anyone for the car ride to the train station.” He stared at his parents, the Yang’s looking away due to the tension between Minho and them. 

“Yes, let’s have him stay the night. I’m sure we’d all enjoy that,” his mother's voice was too sweet once more. 

“Awesome,” Minho said before walking away back to his room, mentally cursing himself.  _ “Fuck, make that two days.”  _ Where was he going to find a willing guy to be his ‘boyfriend’ for the entirety of their spring break? He may have screwed himself. The last thing he wanted was to find himself being shoved into a single bed room with a girl he had no intention of ever being with. 

>> >> >> >>

Minho slid alongside his friend Chris as he exited the classroom that held his music theory lecture. Chris greeted Minho by smiling at him while talking to one of their other close friends, Changbin. The three boys kept walking until Minho gathered the courage to spill his situation to them both. 

“Chris, I need your help.” He said, staring through his friend and into Changbin’s face who just furrowed his eyebrows, looking behind himself, then back to Minho. 

“O...kay?” Chris’s eyes squinted as he waited for Minho to speak, “with...what?” He pressed further, the boy staying quiet, looking like a deer in headlights despite starting the conversation. 

“Listen, you know how I have to go away for spring break?” He watched both boys nod. “Thing is, my stupid parents are trying to set me up with their friends daughter who is going. They won’t just take me saying I’m gay as the truth, so I said I had a boyfriend, which you both know I do not,” Minho exhaled, then took another breath to keep going. “I’d bring one of you, or Jisung, but my parents know all of you, and I don’t want to have to explain that or pretend with any of you, no offense, but it just wouldn’t end well…” He trailed off, not really sure where he was going with that. 

“So what do you need from me?” Chris asked, blinking his eyes in bewilderment at the position Minho had put himself in. 

“Do you know anyone who is a guy, I guess they don’t have to be gay, could be straight, needs money, and is doing literally nothing and would go away for almost the whole break with me?” Minho choked out the words, feeling foolish for even asking. He mumbled a ‘nevermind’ under his breath and looked away, annoyed at himself for even asking. Chris, however, did know someone. 

“Listen, I know someone but, he’s my cousin so, no funny business got it? He owes me one, so I’ll let you cash in on behalf of me, but then you owe me, got it?” Chris held out his hand for Minho to shake. His younger friend took it eagerly, shaking Chris’s hand with some force. When he let go Chris lifted his hand and pointed to a skinny silver haired boy using one of the small public lockers lining the hallway full of lecture rooms at their university. Minho swallowed, how had he never seen that boy before? “His name is Felix. Tell him to text me about it if he has issues, I have to get to class with Bin.” Both of his friends waved as they walked away, leaving him as he stared at Felix. The younger boy was looking through some papers in a binder while stuffing other things into the square locker, unaware of what was about to occur. 

Minho walked over, clearing his throat before he leaned against the lockers, trying his best to look cool and yet also alluring. He never really hit on people, the first person he had a crush on was Jisung, but they decided to just stay friends, not wanting to ruin what they had between them, it was nice to just have a friend who he could talk about guys with, even though Jisung also enjoyed talking about girls. Since then Minho had been unsure of how to even approach a guy he found attractive, and Felix was definitely beautiful. Minho himself had been given compliments frequently about his own beauty, but he opted to ignore them, not wanting to grow conceited or find himself with an over inflated ego. 

“You’re Felix, right?” He asked smoothly, looking at the boy's face, a small smirk on his lips. 

Felix blinked a few times before he even managed to turn his head to look at Minho. He shut his binder, jaw clenching showing off just how sharp and angular it was. 

“Yeah, I believe that’s my name. You are?” He looked into Minho’s eyes with the most beautiful orbs the man had ever seen. Had he not known this was basically a business transaction he might have wanted to  _ actually  _ hit on Felix. The attitude the younger boy was giving him though, was making him regret that he was even about to ask anything of the silver haired male. 

“Minho.” He said simply before continuing, “Chris told me you’d be willing to help me out? I have a trip with my family, basically the whole spring break, and I need a guy to pretend to be my boyfriend to get them to leave me alone. I’ll pay you, price is negotiable, seeing as I have money saved up and I know this is very short notice.” Minho tried to smile and seem sweet and genuine, but the look Felix was giving him was putting him on edge. 

From far away Felix looked like he could be sweet, meek even, up close though his eyes were piercing. His facial features clashed with his intensity, his nose was slightly upturned, a button nose. He had freckles splattered across his nose and cheeks, other ones sprinkled on his face in various places. His jaw may have been sharp and angular, but his lips were plush, the cupids bow wonderfully prominent. He watched the boys pink tongue peek out of his mouth to slick his bottom lip as he thought. 

“How much is your maximum allowance for payment?” Felix asked, looking away and opening his binder once more, pulling out two papers before shutting the binder and stuffing it into the locker, rolling the papers slightly and shoving them into his bag. He looked back up at Minho, his eyes softer now, a playful smile on his face. 

“Is a thousand okay?” Minho questioned, unsure of if it was too little. His family was not fabulously wealthy, but they did have quite a bit of money, and with all the money he ended up getting on birthdays or ‘special events’, he had managed to have a few thousand in his bank to just do whatever he wanted with. Felix nearly choked on his own spit and breath. 

“Come again?” he asked, staring at Minho in utter confusion. 

“I asked if a thousand was okay? I mean, if you need more I guess that’s alright…” He looked away contemplating giving the boy more money. It was really just whether or not Minho valued his privacy and his parents leaving him alone over money, which he surely did. 

“No. No, that’s fine, just pay for my food and shit.” Felix pulled out his phone and shoved it into Minho’s hands. “Give me your number, and I know Chris probably sent you so tell him I don’t fucking owe him now. And also to fuck off. Just because we are cousins doesn’t mean I won’t beat his ass in public.” The younger boy took his phone back from Minho, shooting the older boy a text before going to leave. “I have to get to class, nice doing business with you….Minho.” It had taken him a moment before he could move again, the way his name had rolled off of Felix’s tongue did something to him, but he pushed it from his mind. He was equal parts intrigued by Felix, and annoyed at him already. He hated his attitude, and how smug he was about everything. He hoped that would change when they were on the trip, that maybe he was just putting up a front for now. 

>> >> >> >>

Felix and Minho had barely texted, only going over the most important details. Minho, however, had managed to forget to tell Felix where they were even going. He pulled up in front of the boys house, texting him quickly that he was outside. In less than a minute Felix was climbing into the passenger side seat of his car, tossing a backpack and duffle bag into the back seat. 

“So why am I staying at your house again?” Felix asked, making sure to put on his seatbelt as Minho began to drive the fifteen minutes back to his home. 

“Well, we are leaving fairly early, and my parents hate waiting on anyone, even each other, so I offered to have you stay the night before we leave, they said that sounded like an excellent idea, and here we are.” Minho exhaled, gripping the steering wheel and wondering if this was even a good idea. Weren’t all ideas similar to this questioned as well? Hadn’t he questioned if telling his parents he was gay was a good idea at first? Thanks to his friends, he figured nothing could really go wrong, his parents weren’t overly conservative, but they still held their doubts. As to  _ why  _ Minho would lie about being gay, he couldn’t be sure. 

Felix just nodded, scrolling through things on his phone while they drove in silence. Minho sighed lightly as he pulled into the driveway of his family’s home. It wasn’t a massive house, no, but it was a nice house. Felix eyed it suspiciously. 

“Are you some kind of rich snob?” He questioned, glancing at Minho who was wearing a pair of fitted ripped black jeans and a ratty old hoodie that had obvious holes in it. 

“No?” Minho blinked a few times before he leaned back, turning the car off. “I mean I’m not, they kind of are. We aren’t, like, super rich but, they make good money.” He shrugged his shoulders and looked over at Felix. “We just need to act like we are really dating. So I guess...holding hands? Maybe cuddling on the couch or some shit?” When Minho was done speaking Felix furrowed his eyebrows, taking a moment to register what Minho had said. He calmly turned to the older boy, running his fingers through his own silver hair before speaking. 

“Have...have you not had a boyfriend before?” Felix blinked a few times, confusion evident in his eyes. Minho was quiet for a minute. 

“No…,” he said, swallowing and turning slightly pink from embarrassment. 

“A-are you a virgin?” Felix asked, the shock coming out in his slightly raised voice. It was different to hear the usually deep voice crack from going to a higher octave. 

“No!” Minho nearly shouted, his face now a deep red. He wasn’t, he had his fair share of sexual experiences, he had just never found someone he wanted to date. Usually it was something about them that set Minho off, something that irked him or repulsed him. Sometimes it was something so small he thought maybe he was too picky, but at this point there was no reversing what he had done. The only person he had considered dating was Jisung, but they realized very quickly they were better as friends, and they both valued the friendship enough to never put it at risk. “No...I’ve had sex I just...dating is different.” He looked away and exited the car, he didn’t want to talk about it, so he wasn’t going to. Because it was just so...so complicated for him. 

Felix’s eyes went wide and he mouthed ‘okay then’ to himself before reaching into the back seat of the car and grabbing his bags. He exited the car as well, jumping a bit when Minho locked it while walking up to his front door, the horn honking loudly right near Felix. He’d remember that, he hated when people scared him, even if by accident. Felix hadn’t known that Minho’s parents made money, in fact he didn’t know much about Minho at all. The most he knew was that Minho was two years older than him, he had three cats, his last name was the same as Felix’s, and he was a music major. Other than that they hadn’t really talked. It was the basics, they met in college, and had only been dating for a few months. 

When Minho opened the door they were met immediately with shouting from his mother. Felix watched as Minho rolled his eyes, audibly groaning as he kicked off his shoes. Felix liked how unapologetic he was about being  _ constantly  _ annoyed by his parents, it was kind of cute. That wasn't’ something he was going to actively think about though, no it certainly was not. 

“Min’s home with his boyfriend!” The woman approached them both quickly, holding her arms out to wrap Minho in a hug. He groaned louder and gently patted his mother's back with one hand, acting like she had some kind of disease he could catch. Felix laughed lightly at this, placing his bags on the floor and bowing to her then extending his hand to shake hers. 

“It’s so nice to meet you Ms. Lee.” Felix said, smiling brightly at her. Minho noticed, noticed the way his smile looked on his face, how his teeth were so white, how he seemed so damn genuine. He was a good actor, Minho would give him that. 

“Oh, you’re not a native speaker?” His mother questioned. From the other room Minho’s father entered, laughing jovially. 

“Miyoung, you can’t just say that to him, maybe he’s sensitive about it.” He was far too happy to be meeting his  _ gay  _ sons boyfriend, or at least that’s how it felt to Felix. 

“It’s okay Mr. Lee, I’m not.” He smiled gently and both his parents turned to Minho who hadn’t even  _ noticed _ , not in the slightest -- that Felix wasn’t a native speaker. “I’m from Australia.” He said, smiling brightly, this time it was different though. Minho noticed this as well, noticed the way his eyes crinkcled at the corners, how his eyes turned into small crescents, how his lips thinned so much when he smiled that fucking wide. Why was he noticing this? He shook his head and laughed, shrugging and crossing his arms over his chest. 

“Does it matter? He speaks it so well most people don’t choose to comment on it, even if they do notice.” Minho earned himself a glare from his father who was obviously annoyed at his tone. 

“So Australia?” Daesung questioned intently, gesturing for Felix to follow him, his other hand motioning for Minho to take Felix’s bags away from the entrance of their home. He rolled his eyes as Felix willingly followed along behind his father, his mother doing the same. He was worried, so worried, when he left Felix alone with them. Not that he didn’t think Felix couldn’t handle it, he had just handled Minho not even knowing where he was from just fine. It was the fear that they would ask him something, and Minho wouldn’t know the answer and would be asked about it as soon as he rejoined the little group in their kitchen. 

While he was annoyed at the whole situation, annoyed he had a fake boyfriend for his spring break, annoyed that Felix was too smug, he did have to admit the house smelled good. His dad always liked to make a big dinner the night before they went on a trip like this. Which they did. Every. Single. Year. 

Minho couldn’t wait until he could tell them no, until he could move out into his own place and just ignore the phone calls and questions about why he wasn’t going on the trip. For now though, he was standing next to Felix awkwardly as his parents questioned him about himself. He hadn’t noticed how awkward and stiff he was until Felix leaned into him. He did it so naturally it caught Minho off guard, turning his head to look at Felix who just kept his stare on his mother who was speaking animatedly to him. 

Minho let his eyes drag over Felix’s features once more, still so surprised by how it all clashed  _ so much  _ with his personality. He hadn’t really registered just how deep the boy's voice was at first, only thinking about it after walking away staring at Felix’s information in his phone. He was going to say how surprised he was later that his parents hadn’t commented on it, but just as the thought crossed his mind as a good conversation topic, his father brought it up. 

“You know, Felix, your voice is awfully deep.” His dad turned to look at them, Felix just smiling as he crossed his arms over his chest, nodding. 

“Yes sir, it is. It’s been deep since I was about sixteen. Everyone is usually surprised, I get a lot of ‘it doesn’t fit your face’ or ‘did puberty go straight to your voice and skip your hands’.” He laughed at the joke himself, none of them getting it until he grabbed Minho’s hand and placed their hands together. Minho had to remind himself this wasn’t the first time he would have seen this, he should know Felix’s hands were smaller than his, but it wasn’t by much to be honest. Minho himself didn’t have massive hands. 

“It’s really not that drastic with me Felix, we’ve been over this…” Minho tried an airy laugh. It sounded forced, he cursed at himself mentally for it. 

“Yeah you’re right…” Felix pouted a bit, turning to look at Minho’s dad. “It’s funnier with our other friends. Some of them have huge hands.” He shook his head in mock sadness before crossing his arms over his chest once more and leaning into Minho’s side like it was his life line to comfort. Little did Felix know it was Minho’s life line to comfort, he felt so awkward, so out of place. He imagined for a moment while looking out the kitchen window that Felix was Jisung. That the boy he had been  _ so close  _ to dating was in his kitchen. Was actually his boyfriend. Was actually talking with his parents, laughing with them, making him feel comfortable around them. 

It wasn’t Jisung though, not at all. The laugh that pierced through the haze in his brain brought him back down to reality, his eyes trailing back to Felix as the boy leaned away from Minho, gripping the counter top of the island they had been standing and leaning against together. He only registered why Felix was laughing when his mother finished telling the most embarrassing story she could of Minho. The older boy clenched his jaw and let out a tight laugh, glaring at Felix who just continued to laugh. Minho wasn’t actually upset, he wasn’t even embarrassed, how could he be with the way Felix looked at him with absolute contentment on his face? With that contagious laugh that had his own bubbling in his chest? He didn’t know, but none of this made sense, and he just wanted to go to his room and lay on his bed. He just wanted the vacation to be over already, but it hadn’t even begun yet.


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felix has dinner with Minho's family and then gets to know the boy a bit better.   
> There is some soft bonding time before they head to the train station to begin their spring break.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well!   
> Please let me know what you think of the fic so far~

Dinner had gone by without much of a problem, no worries coming up on either Felix or Minho’s part. For once in their life, or more accurately Minho’s, his parents weren’t horrible. The food was delicious, something Minho would never lie about, and Felix seemed to be rather comfortable sharing details about his life. He was very confident, always answering and laughing, often reaching out to touch Minho. This was something that was meant to be normal, but Minho was never a very touchy person, so maybe his parents hadn’t noticed. He hoped at least. It was nice having Felix reach out and rub his arm sometimes, them sharing a glance that occasionally seemed a little  _ too  _ intimate, but they wouldn’t bring it up, there was no point. This was all an act after all. 

His parents did, however, drop a small bomb on Minho. Not only were the Choi’s going, but they were allowing their daughter and son to bring a friend each. Minho went to argue, since his parents were the one that owned where they were going, but he just nodded silently. Felix had reached under the table then, rubbing and patting his thigh in support, feeling the annoyance roll off of Minho as they ate. Dinner was over now though, his parents dismissing them telling them to enjoy the rest of the night while they finish packing and double checking all of the things they would need for the trip. They were in Minho’s room now, and it was like some kind of forced childhood sleepover. Sure, Minho had the guys over and they spent the night often, sometimes the three of them at once, but it was never like this, not with someone who he didn’t know. 

“So...you can have my bed. It’s more comfortable than the pull out under it…” Minho trailed off going into the standing closet in his room and digging out a pair of gray sweatpants and a blue tank top he intended to wear while sleeping. He eyed Felix who was already sitting comfortably on his bed, eyes glued to his phone. Minho laughed lightly to himself, shaking his head. If Felix wasn’t talking or laughing he was on his phone, something Minho himself often was guilty of, but probably for a different reason. Minho wasn’t the most personable guy, he often found himself lost in thought, or just not wanting to use what energy he did have to interact with people he wouldn’t be speaking to ever again. 

He pulled the door of his standing wardrobe open, stepping behind it and quickly changing his clothes. While he did this Felix’s eyes shifted upward, his fingers pausing to type out the message to Chris he was formulating. He watched the clothes fall to the floor, the sound seeming to be as loud as a whole human tumbling down a flight of stairs. Minho’s calves were something carved by the gods, Felix felt himself swallow and ripped his eyes away from the sight going back to yelling at Chris. He didn’t particularly  _ mind  _ helping Minho out, since he was being paid a large sum of money for eleven days of his life, but Chris hadn’t mentioned that his parents were so...so….so….he didn’t have words, he really didn’t. Maybe pretentious was a good one, but it didn’t seem to fit either. Now he understood why Minho was  _ never  _ at Chris’s house. The only other one with a house like this was Changbin, and even then he was unsure who had the nicer home. 

“You did remember to bring like, pajama’s right…?” Minho questioned after shutting his wardrobe and discarding his clothes into an orange hamper near his bedroom door. Felix rolled his eyes, putting his phone down into his lap. 

“No, why would I need clothes? I sleep naked.” Felix smirked at himself and went back to looking at his phone while Minho swore all the blood in his body ended up in his face. 

“Y-you’re joking...right?” He stuttered out, unsure of if the boy was or not. 

Felix looked up at him, and for a moment he began to feel embarrassment wash over himself, and he wasn’t going to acknowledge that because he was  _ confident,  _ and the universe be damned it if thought it was going to take that from him, even if Minho looked so goddamn good in that tank top. That was a thought to unpack later though. 

“No. I usually sleep in my t-shirt and boxers though. Figure there’s no point in dirtying another whole set of clothes just to sleep.” He shrugged and put his phone down, looking at Minho as he rubbed the back of his neck, beginning to pace back and forth in his far too large for its own good room. It was so barren, not much really standing out. The only memorable thing was the large pink and purple cat tree in the corner. Well, that and the cat door in the bottom of his room. “Is this what you...usually do when you’re alone?” Felix questioned, pulling his knees up to his chest and resting his chin on his knees. Minho stopped and looked at him, realizing he was pacing. 

“Oh...uhhh,” he was blushing again, looking away before pointing to the small couch sitting across from the large television anchored to his wall. “No I usually play games or...watch youtube videos on my television...or work on course work…” He went and sat down on the couch, sighing to himself and pulling out his phone after turning on the television. He scrolled through the apps without looking, clicking on the youtube application before he felt a weight sit down next to him. Felix had brought his quilt along, tossing it over both of them. The couch wasn’t overly comfortable, but it served its purpose. It was a pull-out couch, used for when his friends stayed over. Minho glanced at Felix who was staring at him with a blank expression. 

“You’re very nervous…” Felix trailed off, his voice low and calm for once, holding no other emotion. 

“Yes…” Minho agreed, turning to the television but having no idea what to put on. He felt Felix’s warm fingers brush against his as he gently took the remote and began searching through the premium shows on youtube. “I just…obviously I’ve never done this…” They both knew what he was talking about, it wasn’t every day you pretended to have a boyfriend. “I’m worried they won’t believe it, I’m worried other people will think things and...I don’t know I’m just worried I guess.” Felix nodded and leaned back into the couch, relaxing as he continued scrolling. Minho looked at him, curious to know more about the boy. “D...do you have a boyfriend?” He saw the way Felix tensed a bit, wondering if he hit a nerve, wondering if the boy was going to snap at him like he looked like he would, but he didn’t. No, instead Felix’s expression softened into the likeness of sadness with a false smile on his face, his eyes suddenly so, so far away. 

“No. If I did I wouldn’t be here.” He turned to look at Minho before almost immediately turning his attention back to the tv. 

“Well I mean...you never know what kind of...agreement people have with their significant others…” Minho was trying to defuse the situation, but he felt like he wasn’t, he felt like he was somehow ruining this whole thing, whatever this thing even  _ was.  _

“I did have a boyfriend...we broke up before the end of last semester, right before finals week actually. Worst few weeks of my life, the stress and sadness was unbelievable…” For the first time since Minho had approached Felix, his usual smug and confident appearance fell. He looked sad, more sad than Minho thought could have been hiding under it all. 

“What happened?” Minho questioned, genuinely curious and interested, wanting to know if he could somehow,  _ someway,  _ make Felix feel even the slightest bit better. Felix sighed and slouched down a bit more, looking away from the tv for a moment before turning his attention back to it. 

“Honestly, I wish I could say that I totally knew. My friend Jeongin told me that our other friend, my  _ best  _ friend, Hyunjin, told him someone told my boyfriend I was cheating. So Seungmin, my boyfriend, broke up with me without even so much as asking if it was true.” Felix laughed coldly before continuing. “The best part? He was dating Hyunjin two fucking weeks later, I haven’t spoken to either of them since…” The pain on his face said everything Minho needed to know beyond the short story of how it happened. He reached out and gently patted his hand, not knowing what else to do. “What about you?” Felix asked, suddenly sounding quite interested in Minho’s life. 

“I mean, obviously I don’t have a boyfriend.” Minho deadpanned, staring right into Felix’s chocolate colored orbs. Minho really  _ really  _ liked chocolate. 

“Well yeah but like, do you like anyone?” Felix’s eyes held pure curiosity. Minho found this hard to resist, even if he would say otherwise. 

“Sorta?” He screwed his face up, looking away and at the tv, trying to make sure Felix couldn’t read him. “I...me and Jisung we uh...we almost dated. He said he’d rather be friends, that...he never had a friend like me so he didn’t want to ruin that. So...we’re friends still…” Minho trailed off staring at nothing as he thought about the boy he so desperately wished he could be with. 

“But you didn’t want to be just friends.” Felix said. He said it, this was a statement, he wasn’t asking Minho. He wasn’t trying to get Minho to agree, he was reading him like an open book without even looking at him. Minho’s voice came out small, which he mentally cursed himself for seconds later. 

“Yeah…” Minho had wanted to date Jisung for so long, it felt surreal now, felt like he didn’t really feel like that. Felt like maybe he was making himself feel like that. He knew this was probably the real reason no one else worked out, because he was still caught up on his friend who was living his life happily as just his  _ friend.  _ He sighed deeply, leaning his head back on the couch cushions, his hands dropping into his lap as he stared at the all too white ceiling of his room. 

“You should tell him how you feel.” Felix said, finally choosing some older love story romance film that he had seen at least ten times with his friends. Minho wanted to reply to that statement, he really did, he wanted to say how he had thought about telling Jisung  _ countless  _ times. Over and over he would replay what he would say, how he would woo the boy into loving him, but he never did it. He would always just look at Jisung who was so happy, who told him how much he was thankful Minho was his friend, and he just couldn’t do it, he couldn’t ruin the friendship, he couldn’t upset Jisung. Even if this meant he was upset himself. So instead, Minho decided to comment on the movie choice, something that seemed like a safer conversation topic. 

“Love Actually?” He turned to look at Felix, his eyebrows raised in question at the choice of film. 

“Listen,” Felix started, “it is in the top ten best films of all time, alright? I’ll even put subtitles on for you.” He did as he said he would, putting on the korean subtitles and snuggling back into the couch more, his feet pressing into Minho’s leg as he tried to curl up on the small couch next to the older boy. Minho looked down at the spot under the blanket where their bodies were touching, trying to ignore how literally hot Felix was. His body temperature was like that of a small space heater, yet he acted like he was cold. They both stayed quiet, ignoring for the most part when their hands or legs would bump, when Minho would lean a little too close to Felix and sit upright acting like it didn’t happen. Eventually the movie ended, Minho nodding, understanding what Felix meant about it being a great film. 

“I guess we should go to sleep, we have to get up early.” Minho said, stretching his arms above his head as he readied to sleep on the rather uncomfortable second bed. Felix watched the muscles in the boys arms tighten and then relax, ignoring how it made his face heat up. 

“So, this is kinda late but, where are we even  _ going? _ ” Felix questioned standing up and wrapping the blanket around himself. Minho blinked a few times and then stood up as well, scratching his cheek before pulling the bed under his own out. 

“My parents own a beach house, we’re going there for the week. It’s really secluded, but it’s nice. Shit wifi though.” He laughed at his own little joke and then stopped pulling the bed out, looking at Felix’s foot stopping it from rolling out. 

“Good to know. We can share your bed, I’m pretty sure we’ll both fit. Plus we better get used to it.” Minho nodded, blushing furiously and swallowing as he pulled his extra pillows from the bed he was trying to pull out, putting them on his own mattress. Once the extra bed was firmly back in its place Felix looked at Minho, smiling before he gestured for Minho to get into the bed. He did so, reluctantly. His nerves were getting the better of him, he felt his hands shaking and his ears continually heating up as Felix tossed the quilt back over him. Why was his room so cold? He’d rather sleep without the blanket at his point worried about their bodies pressing together while they slept. He was more worried when Felix blushed suddenly and turned around pulling his jeans and socks off, dropping them onto the floor before crawling into the bed, his baggy white t-shirt wrapping around him oddly as he struggled to get comfortable. 

Eventually they were laying there on their sides, facing one another. They were terrible at this, this was supposed to be  _ normal. _ For them, but at least no one was going to be watching them get ready for bed. No one was going to share the room with them at the beach house, no one was going to see how awkward they were when Felix swallowed, his eyes definitely not trailing down Minho’s perfect nose to his perfect lips. No one was going to watch Minho do the same thing, eyes trying to find constellations in Felix’s freckles. Nope, no one was definitely going to see that. There came a point where Felix couldn’t take it anymore and rolled over, facing the bedroom door of Minho’s room. 

“Good night Minho.” He said, his voice deep and low, breathing becoming slow soon after. It was obvious he was tired, he should be. Minho should be. But he wasn’t. Well, truthfully he was, but how was he supposed to sleep with all of this stress and worry running through his veins like a derailed train? He swallowed the emotions he felt bubbling up, tried to push the idea of Jisung being the one in his bed, tried to ignore how often Felix’s lips and freckles made their way into his thoughts as well, and tried desperately to sleep, he was going to need it after all, it was going to one hell of a long spring break. 

>> >> >> >>

Minho groaned as he heard his phone alarm going off, he reached for it, but realized there was a lightly snoring Felix in his way. He knew that if he didn’t turn it off, they would both be woken up, so he forced himself to lean a little too close for comfort, so he could swipe to end the alarm. While he was doing this Felix sighed, moving in closer to him before opening his eyes. 

“You could have just asked me to get it…” Felix said, his usually deep voice even deeper due to just waking up. Minho had barely slept, his eyes held dark circles under them, but it was worth it, or at least his tired brain was telling him it was. 

“Sorry…” he mumbled, leaning back to put his head on his pillow as Felix stretched slightly on the small bed. 

“You don’t move much when you sleep…” Felix locked eyes with Minho in the dim light of his room, the only source of light coming from the hallway where light footsteps could be heard. Minho shut his eyes, wishing his tired body could sleep just one hour more, but that wasn't possible. 

“Yeah, I didn’t...sleep much actually…” he looked at Felix again, the tired eyes now all too obvious to the silver haired boy. He wanted to reach out and pull Minho into a gentle embrace and hum him back to sleep, not that these thoughts were weird, right? They were likely from a sleep addled brain, or at least that’s what Felix was telling himself while he spoke to the boy again, “You can probably sleep on the train.” He pushed himself up, why was he having those thoughts anyway?

“I guess, yeah. You can shower if you want, I’m going to shower when we get to the beach house,” Minho said while looking at the younger boy. Felix shook his head, his hair sticking up in a few places. 

“I brought a hat to wear, I figured it was going to be a long day so I also showered right before you picked me up.” He sat up, looking down at Minho who looked so tired it really did break Felix’s heart a little. The younger boy offered him a smile, and then his hand. “Come on, let’s get going.” 

Minho smiled and took Felix’s hand, the younger boy yanking him out of bed. He was never going to get tired of trying to figure out how Felix felt so physically hot to the touch. For now he could figure that it was because they were under a blanket together, and that would make anyone over heat. They quickly changed in the darkness, facing away from one another, this definitely didn’t stop the blushes they both had. When Felix finally turned around he saw Minho stuffing the clothes he was wearing into his bag, smiling as he turned around, his face still looking so tired. 

“Coffee?” Felix questioned, grinning at Minho in the darkness of the room. It felt nice, this gentle hum between them this early in the morning. It felt like it  _ was  _ normal, not just ‘should’ be. The older boy smiled and nodded, opening the door and walking into the hallway where he could hear his parents arguing about one of them forgetting  _ something,  _ despite neither of them knowing what it was yet. Minho just rolled his eyes and walked into the kitchen with Felix, putting their bags down. Felix sat at the island and leaned his chin on his hand. Minho quietly ground the coffee beans, focusing on the task before he moved them to the french press his parents had for coffee. Felix snickered from behind him. It was cute, Minho could at least admit that. 

“Is something amusing to you?” Minho asked, a small smile in his voice, and on his lips. 

“Of  _ course  _ you’d have a french press, and not a regular person coffee pot.” Felix tapped his bottom lip with his pinky before smirking more when Minho turned to look at him. 

“We have one, it’s probably just tucked away in some box, in the attic, forgotten by both my parents because we can’t look like we use a coffee pot, so why would we actually use one?” He laughed and quickly poured filtered water into the kettle on their stove, beginning to heat the water. 

“I guess that’s one way to function.” Felix said, shaking his head. Minho chuckled at the words, he agreed. 

“I’d have a coffee pot, hell if it was up to me I’d have instant coffee. Makes my life easier.” Minho leaned against the counter and looked at Felix who was watching him intently. He was watching the way Minho’s muscles moved under his light blue hoodie. He was watching how his hair bobbed as he moved, it sticking up in a few places due to his attempt at sleep. The way his hands seemed to move with such purpose regarding everything he did. It was nice to just exist with him in the quiet of the kitchen, the hushed bickering on the second floor not even phasing either of them. Felix mused, a smile on his face as he shut his eyes and listened to the water and Minho’s yawns that came every few minutes. Being in the quiet together was nice, it didn’t feel forced or fake, something they were both grateful for. 

“So some family friends are bringing their kids, and their kids are bringing friends. If they are annoying, don’t blame me,” Minho turned to look at Felix, an apologetic smile on his features. Felix reached across the island counter and rubbed Minho’s arm. He seemed more worried about there being more people there, Felix really couldn’t care less. 

“Listen, I can be equally as annoying. So if you want me to make a scene you just let me know, baby.” Felix winked at him, a small laugh from him turning into both of them laughing loudly and holding their sides before six in the morning. There were groans and shouts from Minho’s parents about it being too early for things like that, but that just made the boys laugh harder. Once the kettle whistled loudly for Minho’s attention the laughing died down a bit. He was still chuckling as he poured the boiling water into the french press, smiling softly now. When he rested his back on the counter once more Felix spoke softly, a light blush on his face as he asked the silly question. He definitely wasn’t blushing because it was silly though, absolutely not, it was something like how good Minho looked, yeah that is definitely what he would chalk it up to. “C-can I press it down when it’s ready?” 

Minho turned to look at Felix, a slight surprised look on his face, but that quickly turned into a smile of appreciation and affection. Felix was  _ adorable.  _

“Absolutely.” 

Felix beamed, he loved small things like that. Minho noted this down mentally as well, finding it beyond endearing that Felix was  _ so  _ excited and happy to be able to press the plunger down so they could have the coffee. When it was ready Minho gestured for him to go ahead. The thoughts that flooded his brain were immediately pushed under his metaphorical mind rug. He definitely didn’t want to wrap his arms around Felix’s slight waist. Didn’t want to rest his chin on the boys shoulder, but if he did that was okay right? It was definitely because he was trying to make their ‘relationship’ seem real and natural. Yeah, that’s most definitely what it was, nothing more. Not that he thought too hard about it, needing to rid himself of the thoughts he busied himself grabbing two to-go cups from his family’s cabinet. He knew they were leaving in ten minutes, so the coffee would have to be on the go. 

“Pink or black?” Minho asked quietly, Felix turning to look at him. 

“Pink, also do you have french vanilla creamer? Or am I going to be a milk and sugar type of guy today? I don’t know what fancy people keep in their house.” He gave a chuckle thinking he was the funniest person on earth at that moment. Minho chuckled and placed the pink cup in front of Felix before going to the fridge. 

“Do you really think that I, a not fancy person, would keep any other flavor in my home? Because if so you are mistaken my beautiful boyfriend.” Minho chided. Felix was going to ask why he had said that, but really they had to experiment with calling each other things other than their names, but when Minho’s parents walked into the kitchen seconds later he understood. He had probably heard them coming and thought the compliment would convince them more that Felix really  _ was  _ his boyfriend. It was smooth, Felix would give him that. He smiled at Minho and watched as the man poured the coffee into their mugs, quickly cleaning out the french press. Before he was able to wash it his mother scolded him. 

“We don’t have time for that Min, the maid can get it when she comes to clean and feed your cats. Let’s get your things and go.” Minho rolled his eyes and Miyoung scolded him, telling him to hurry along. 

Felix and Minho grabbed their cups and bags, walking out of the house and to his father's SUV, putting their bags in the trunk before getting into the back seats. Two minutes later his parents were in the car, still bickering as his father began driving toward the train station. Felix just leaned against Minho, letting his eyes stare out the window at the buildings and cars passing by, the sun barely lifting above the horizon as they drove. He sipped his scalding hot coffee, enjoying the burn that went down his throat. Minho on the other hand was letting his coffee cool, occasionally glancing down at Felix and smiling at the boy, not hating the closeness now that there were multiple layers between them. 

“You two sure look cozy back there.” Daesung said, a smile on his face as he watched his son stare affectionately at Felix. Minho looked up, a slight blush tinting his face and ears as he looked out his own window. Felix hummed in response to the man's words, seeming to snuggle against Minho more. He wasn’t even tired, but he desperately wanted to sleep regardless, and he knew that Minho would be doing the same on the train. “How did you guys sleep last night?” His father made eye contact with him, Minho swallowing and then shaking his head. 

“I didn’t really sleep…” Minho said off handedly, running his fingers through his slightly messy blonde and brown hair.

“Why’s that?” Miyoung cut in, turning to look back at the boys. Minho began to worry slightly, not sure what to say. He very well couldn’t admit that he was awake because he was worried about his body pressing up against Felix’s, or vice versa. He couldn’t tell her that sometimes he just wanted to stare at this boy because he hadn’t really gotten a long good look at him, since he should have looked at him hundreds of times before already. No, he couldn’t do those things, so what was he supposed to say? Anxiety about traveling? How could he, they travel multiple times a year by train, this was no different. He had never experienced travel anxiety before either. Maybe anxiety over people liking Felix? No, that implied there was something to  _ not like _ which was just incredibly untrue. Before his thoughts could continue to spiral, the silence already a bit  _ too  _ long, Felix spoke. 

“It’s my fault, we’ve never shared a bed before and…” he grinned sheepishly, a slight blush tinting his cheeks, “I move around a  _ lot  _ when I sleep. I probably hit him like a hundred times.” He looked up at Minho, “Sorry babe.” He said, wrapping his arms around Minho’s arm and rubbing his bicep gently. 

“It’s okay, I’ll sleep on the train.” Minho patted his hand against Felix’s thigh and did something uncharacteristic of himself. He gently pressed his lips into the silver hair on Felix’s head, the messy strands tickling his lips. Both boys blushed a bit, their minds going blank and racing at the same time. Felix fiddled with his hat that he had brought into the back seat with him, half glad that he hadn’t put it on. Minho on the other hand made momentary eye contact with his parents before hurriedly looking out the window again, scratching at his neck to occupy his mind. The rest of the car ride was silent, which Minho was thankful for, not wanting to listen to any more of his parents complaining at one another, or bickering in any sense. When they arrived at the train station the boys stretched before grabbing their bags. Everything seemed to be set up fine, that was until they reached the train platform. 


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first day is always bound to end up a little awkward, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone is enjoying this one so far!  
> I hadn't intended to upload it until it was finished, but I feel like uploading it will help me   
> with wanting to write it.   
> I like the idea that people are enjoying the story and looking forward to what comes next~

Minho turned to see the family his parents had known for ages, the Yang’s, arriving before the Choi’s. He spotted their son, a dark haired boy that was around Felix’s age, in his first year of university if Minho remembered correctly. Next to him stood a tall dark haired boy, his long hair flopping as he walked, or more like trudged, toward them. Minho had to admit he was handsome, but so was the Yang's son. Who had seen him twice a year for the last five years, Jeongin was his name, if Minho remembered correctly. Hadn’t Felix said he had a friend with that name? Just as he was about to ask the boy turned around, moving his hat on his head to fit it snuggly as he stared at the commotion behind them. His jaw tightened and his hands dropped to his sides. Minho noticed the shift in his demeanor immediately. 

“You okay?” 

“That’s my friend Jeongin, and that other guy…” Felix had to breathe, turning back around to look at the train, “is Hyunjin.” Minho winced, noticing how malicious Felix’s voice sounded when he spoke the boy's name. He turned to wave at Jeongin who just stood there shocked, both him and Hyunjin exchanging glances and staying as far away from him and Felix as they could. Once the Choi’s arrived, everyone mingled together, Hyunjin and Jeongin introducing themselves first. Once the siblings and their friends made their way over to Minho and Felix, the older of the two smiled. 

“Hello Jisoo, hello Konu. This is my boyfriend, Felix.” Minho gestured to the silver haired boy beside him, the one inch shorter man bowing to both of them.

“Nice to meet you both.” He gave them the beautiful smile Minho had already begun to grow fond of. Konu took the lead to introduce their friends. 

“Hey, this is my friend Minki, and Jisoo’s friend Yujin,” he smiled at Felix and Minho who bowed to them, exchanging pleasantries before boarding the train. They were all right near one another, and despite Jeongin and Hyunjin having the seats across the aisle from them, Felix was comfortable. He sat near the window, leaning back into the not wholly uncomfortable chair. He pulled out his headphones and then turned to Minho. 

“Do you want to use my sweater as a pillow? My shoulders are kind of boney…” his deep voice trailed off as Felix looked at Minho who was pulling out the same exact pair of headphones, smiling at him. 

“So you assumed I’d be using your shoulder?” Minho’s tone was smug, it almost,  _ almost,  _ made Felix blush, but he resisted, nodding dumbly to the question. Nodding as if he hadn’t suddenly realized that it was  _ odd  _ to think Minho would definitely use his shoulder to sleep. Why wouldn’t he just recline his chair? What if he brought a neck pillow? Minho spared him, noticing the look in his eyes. “Well you assumed correctly, you look like you’d make a good pillow.” He flashed Felix a smile before tugging on his sweater, “you look too cute in this to ask you to take it off though, your shoulder will be fine as is.” With that Minho placed his headphones in and pressed play on his phone, allowing a soft melody to creep into his ears. His head dropped to Felix’s shoulder, he shuffled a bit to get comfortable in his chair, and before he knew it the soft melody playing in his ears lulled him to sleep. 

About twenty minutes after Minho had fallen asleep, Felix felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He ignored it, he didn’t want to check any notifications, not when he was enjoying the warm weight on his shoulder. He often let his eyes fall onto what he could see of Minho’s face. Even at that angle, with his mouth slightly open, he was beautiful. Felix swallowed, moving his one hand to rest on Minho’s leg. Why was he suddenly feeling like this? Nervous? He wasn’t sure, he didn’t understand it himself, so he ignored it. Instead he focused on the feeling in his chest and cheeks, focused on how warm it made him feel inside his chest, instead of just the flesh of his arm and shoulder where Minho’s warm body was pressed against him. 

While he focused on this, out of the corner of his eye he caught Jeongin staring at him. He lifted his chocolate colored eyes to glance at him, the younger boy pointing to his own phone. Felix sighed, pulling his phone out of his sweatshirt pocket, checking it. 

  
  


>>Jeongin: 

I didn’t know you were going to 

be on this trip. I didn’t know you were 

Minho’s guest when I asked if you 

wanted to come with me on my 

vacation this spring break!

  
  


:Me<<

Okay? I mean I didn’t know

you were going to be here either…

so it’s whatever

  
  


>>Jeongin: 

Why ARE you here?

  
  


:Me<<

Because Minho...invited me?

Why else would I be here lol

  
  


>>Jeongin: 

Are you and Minho dating?

  
  


Felix paused, staring at his phone for a few moments before typing up response after response. He wasn’t even sure what he  _ should  _ say to Jeongin. He didn’t want to lie to his friend, because he wasn’t mad at him, he was just annoyed at the situation. Eventually he settled for the least wordy response he could manage. 

  
  


:Me<<

…

  
  


>>Jeongin: 

I thought we were friends, Felix.

:Me<<

We are

>>Jeongin:

Then why wouldn’t you tell me you

met someone? Why wouldn’t you

tell me you were dating him?

:Me<<

It’s complicated

  
  


>>Jeongin: 

Complicated?

  
  


:Me<<

...yeah, complicated

  
  


:Me<<

I’ll tell you about it later

  
  


Minho shifted in his sleep, jostling Felix’s phone as he typed out his last reply to Jeongin. He slid his phone back into his pocket and turned to look at his friend. They exchanged glances, Hyunjin staring out the window, maybe asleep. Felix wasn’t sure, and he didn’t care. He wasn’t really mad at Hyunjin, he was just sad his friend hadn’t even considered if he was okay or not, and dated his ex boyfriend regardless. Felix settled in, getting one more text message from Jeongin and looking at it. The text simply read, ‘ _ I’m sorry :(‘.  _ Felix smiled and waved his hand toward his friend, signaling that it was fine, at least for the meantime. He couldn’t have known they were going to be on this trip together since Felix had turned down going with him, and thus his other best friend would obviously have been invited. 

He didn’t want to think about it though, so he shut his eyes and rested his own cheek against Minho’s soft disheveled hair. Despite him having not showered his hair was soft, and smelled like some kind of fruit, it was intoxicating if Felix was honest. Which he normally would be, but if someone asked about this thing in particular? Well, he’d have to tell a white lie, because he didn’t want to admit just how much he liked it. Without realizing it, as it usually occurs, Felix fell asleep. He awoke to soft circles being rubbed into his Nike joggers, the soft material letting the heat of Minho’s hands through to his thigh. He opened his eyes, groggily looking at Minho as he lifted his head. 

“Mm..sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep…” Felix made sure to check his mouth for drool, knowing he would never live it down if he had actually fucking  _ drooled  _ on the older boy. 

“It’s okay, I didn’t mind,” Minho smiled at him and gave his thigh a quick squeeze before sitting up and stretching, looking at Felix’s sleepy face. “So, most of today will probably be settling in, relaxing, we can hit the beach if you want. But, anything you’d like to do on this nine day extravaganza?” Minho chuckled at himself. He leaned his head back and looked at Felix who sat similarly, the two boys just looking into the others eyes. Neither would admit that maybe once or twice their eyes traveled downward to the others lips, slowly moving back up to meet questioning eyes once more. Neither of them would talk about it, or even acknowledge it. Why would they, right?

“I don’t know, I’m down for pretty much anything. Is there a pool?” Felix wondered aloud, his eyes filled with excitement at the prospect of a pool and not just having to swim in the ocean. Minho laughed at the childlike wonder in his eyes. 

“Yes, there is. It’s not massive but it’s nice. You can swim a few laps in it if you’re so inclined. I heard you used to swim a lot with Chris, you both won quite a few medals if I remember the tales correctly.” He snickered when Felix turned bright read, ripping his face away to look out the window. Minho placed his hand on Felix’s, rubbing the back of the younger boy's hand with his thumb. “It’s really quite impressive, at least that is to say that  _ I’m impressed.”  _ His tone may have been suggestive, but the Choi’s were sitting in front of them, and they had to act like they were dating, to keep up appearances of course, that was definitely the only reason he was doing it. 

“Thanks…” Felix mumbled, lacing his fingers with Minho’s, yet still avoiding eye contact. They stayed like that, sitting in relative silence, listening to the soft murmur of the train for the last forty minutes of the ride. It was nice, they would both likely admit to that. Nice to have their fingers laced, nice to feel the soft caresses they shared, nice to just exist next to one another. Nice to feel nice with someone, and have no strings attached, no implications that you could really make, this was supposed to be normal, so they let it be just that. Normal, or at least for now. 

>> >> >> >>

The ride to the beach house was filled with talking. They were all riding in a rented bus that fit approximately twenty six people. Thankfully there weren’t that many in number, so there was space between each of the small sub groups in the large gathering. Felix leaned against Minho, his head on the older boy's shoulder as he watched Miyoung talk animatedly about what they could do for dinner that night. Eventually, and without any input from Felix or Minho, the group settled on grilling for the night. Minho’s father said he was excited to break out the grill after a long winter. Felix smiled at that, the older man adorable in his own right, even if he was sometimes annoying according to his son. The older sighed lightly when the bus came to a stop, Felix could tell he was still tired and wanted to suggest he nap, but he wasn’t sure if Minho would want to, seeing as it was their spring break, he was going to ask anyway. 

“Do you want to nap?” Felix questioned while grabbing his two bags. He was walking, more like waddling, behind Minho into the house once it was unlocked. He had intended, he really did, to listen to what Minho was saying, but the outside of the house had flustered Felix. The inside, however, had done more. It was beautiful, bright and white. There were  _ so  _ many damn windows. Each one seemed to have a purpose, overlooking the ocean, allowing sunlight to pool into the dinning area, the large ones in the living room giving a perfect view of the beach and deck. There were three floors, the bottom floor had two rooms and one full bath. The main floor had two rooms and one full bath as well, while the third floor had four rooms, one main bath, and a master bath. Felix and Minho were staying on the main floor, the furthest room from the living area. It wasn’t until Felix was staring dumbly at Minho who had entered the room that he realized he hadn’t listened, or said anything back to the boy. He looked sheepish, slinking into the room and dropping his bags near the door. “Sorry..what did you say?” Minho smiled at him, it was warm and forgiving. 

“I said not really, I’d rather talk with you about some stuff. Plus we should unpack, unless you intend to just live out of your bags.” Minho gestured to the bags next to the door. Felix actually had intended to just live out of his bags, not really seeing the point in unpacking but now that Minho had said something, Felix felt oddly foolish. 

“I mean I guess not anymore…” He pouted a bit and picked up his bags, opening the two bottom drawers of the large dresser in the room and shoving his clothes inside, placing his shoes on the floor next to it. Minho smiled at Felix and waited until he was done to place his things in the drawers above his. 

“Did you really intend to just shove clothes back into your bag, and take others out?” Minho looked over his shoulder as he perfectly set his things in the drawers. Felix sighed, leaning back on his arms as he sat on the bed. 

“Are you about to make fun of me for it?” Felix squinted at him, watching as Minho shut the drawers and stood up, moving his bag to under the bed. 

“No, not at all, why ever would I tease you about that? Not like it’s completely silly or anything.” He grinned at Felix who just stuck his tongue out at him. “Let’s talk about flirting and such, also I guess what we call one another?” Minho looked visibly uncomfortable, Felix picking up on it easily and leaning forward, giving him a smile and quick nod. 

“Flirting is easy, touching, eye contact, licking lips, teasing. Really banter flirting is easy. As for calling one another, I’ve only ever called my partners their names, but I can call you babe if you want, or baby, but that’s not really my style.” Felix looked at Minho who nodded, thoughtful as he stared down at his own hands. 

“I could call you Lix if you want, that’s kind of cute, and I don’t care what you call me. Min, babe, either is fine really…” Why were his cheeks heating up as he suggested that Felix  _ could  _ call him babe? He didn’t know, and he wasn’t going to dwell on it, nope he wasn’t. Did he like the idea? Absolutely, but he wasn’t going to tell Felix that. 

“I can do that, and yeah you can call me Lix, I like that actually. The way you say it sounds nice.” Felix gave him a suggestive wink when Minho looked up at him. He then mouthed ‘flirting’ and Minho made an ‘ah’ with his mouth, laughing afterward. 

“Don’t worry by the way, I won’t tell anyone that you intended to just stuff your dirty clothes in with your clean ones.” Minho smirked and shoved Felix a bit before standing and leaving the room, going into the kitchen to see everyone already congregating there to begin talking and preparing breakfast. Honestly, Minho had forgotten that it was still so early. He quickly turned around and went back into the room, seeing Felix on his phone, lying on the bed. Minho plopped down next to him on his stomach, arms under his head as he looked at the younger boy. “I changed my mind, wake me up when the food is done.”

Felix looked over at Minho, how his eyes were closing already, how he looked so peaceful and gentle when he was falling asleep. He didn’t need to answer, he would wake Minho up because he wouldn’t be able to look away from him while he laid there. If you asked Felix why, he would say that it’s because he was an artist, and he was studying a work of art, but in a totally one hundred percent platonic way of course. 

>>

Minho groaned lightly at the feeling of fingers scraping against his scalp. He opened one eye to look at Felix, huffing at him and rolling onto his back. He knew it was time to get up, but it wasn’t like he wanted to. Honestly at this point he’d rather just sleep his entire day away. 

“Come on, food is almost done.” Felix said, rubbing Minho’s stomach before pushing himself off of the bed and making his way to the bedroom door. “Don’t want them taking all the good food, now do you?” He stood there, staring at Minho who pouted before sitting himself up. 

“I suppose not...but it’s only breakfast, at least it’s not dinner. I’d rather miss eggs and bacon than the meat my dad is going to end up grilling.” Minho rubbed his eyes while listening to Felix laugh softly from the door. 

“You’re pretty cute, but I still think we’d benefit from eating.” Felix walked back over and pulled Minho off of the bed by his hands, dragging him out of the room and into the dining area located next to the kitchen. The table was massive, able to easily almost everyone. Felix and Minho, being the last two to arrive, would be sitting at the kitchen island bar next to Jeonging and Hyunjin. Minho quickly made sure to take the seat next to Jeongin so that Felix had the luxury of being as far away from Hyunjin as possible. He placed his phone on the counter there, turning to see where Felix had gotten to. He was once again helping give everyone plates as well as handing out cups to everyone for their beverages of choice. He watched as his father looked at someone he barely knew with a great amount of admiration and affection. Minho felt something brewing in the pit of his stomach that threatened to bubble into his chest. After clearing his throat he waited for everyone else to get their food, grabbing two plates from Felix and filling them both up. 

He placed them on the island and then grabbed orange juice, pouring it into two cups, and bringing them back to the island as well. Felix walked over to Minho, wrapping his arms around the older boy before he could sit down, kissing his shoulder. 

“Thank you.” He said before letting Minho go so he could sit down. After sliding into his own seat, Minho turned to look at him. 

“You’re amazing, you know. Thanks for helping my dad.” Minho reached over to squeeze Felix’s hand, both of them staring into the others eyes while smiling. Jeongin was watching each movement, blinking a few times before Hyunjin jabbed him in his side, bringing him back to his senses. He wasn’t sure how whatever was happening between them was ‘complicated’ but it definitely didn’t look like it was. 

Breakfast was easy, Felix and Minho sharing little jokes and laughs while stuffing their faces with the food that was prepared for them. What wasn’t as easy was the constant nagging of Minho’s mother to join everyone on the beach. Felix stood by quietly for the seventh time in two hours when Miyoung went to her son and began to pester him again. Minho looked exhausted, tired of having the same conversation over and over. Finally he stood up and began walking away from her, waving for Felix to follow along. 

“I don’t want to swim in the ocean today. Me and Felix planned on using the pool while no one was in it. I’m just not feeling up to socializing today.” His tone didn’t leave much room for any more argument, let alone the abrupt shutting of their bedroom door before he flopped himself down onto the bed. Felix just smiled at him softly, seeing how exasperated he was at having to deal with his parents. 

“Do you actually want to swim?” Felix questioned, glad that swimming to cool down wasn’t necessary, seeing as the entire home had centralized air pulsing through it, keeping it a cool sixty-eight degrees. He sat down next to Minho, brushing the hair that had fallen into his eyes, away. The older of the two looked up at him, grunted and sat himself up. 

“Yeah, I can use something to wake me up. Plus it’ll make them leave me alone if I actually do  _ something _ .” Quickly the dirty blonde-brunette opened his drawer and pulled out a pair of olive green swim trunks that would go to three inches above his knee. He preferred the fabric to be shorter, always making sure to tell anyone who questioned it that the less fabric there was, the quicker it would dry. Felix silently followed suit, his own swim trunks a yellow and blue and yellow geometric pattern. Minho mumbled about them just turning away from one another in the darkness once more as they changed. This time it was a bit different, seeing as they both were fully naked for a moment before their swim trunks made it onto their bodies. 

Once they turned around both boys tried to fight off their wandering eyes and light blushes. Minho quickly exited the room walking to a small closet in the hallway next to the bathroom. He pulled out two plush towels, one gray and one blue. He tossed the blue one to Felix, smiling when it hit him in the face, before walking into the lower floor of the house. The backyard was small and fenced in with a large dark wood privacy fence. The grass was green and soft under their feet, not that there was much of it. The pool wasn’t massive but it was large enough to swim a few laps or just float around and enjoy yourself. 

Minho was slower to want to jump right in compared to Felix who threw his towel on the closest chair and dove right in. His form was impeccable, something Minho noted easily. When the Australian came up for air, he motioned for him to come over. Minho was sitting on the edge of the pool, his legs dangling in the water, Felix propping himself up with his arms on the same ledge to see what the older boy wanted. 

“Yeah?” Felix asked, his hair pushed back and showing the spanse of his forehead, his freckles more evident in the hot sunlight that beat down on them. 

“Did you swim competitively?” Minho moved his feet around, hands fiddling with the strings on his shorts as he asked, trying desperately not to look at the thin boys somehow toned muscles. Minho himself was rather muscular, but didn’t quite have the sixpack everyone assumed he had. 

“That easy to tell huh?” Felix laughed and leaned his head against his forearms, smiling up at Minho who just blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. He never usually blushed, and he was never this easily flustered. Maybe it was because Felix was just so different than all the people he had tried to be with, as well as him not even being someone he was interested in. It felt odd to discover things about someone he was supposed to have been dating for a few months. 

“Chris swims so I’m used to seeing the form.” Minho looked away before turning his gaze toward Felix who had hummed in acknowledgement before pushing himself off of the wall and floating on his back in the pool, lazily moving his arms and legs to move around occasionally. There was no way Minho was going to admit that he was watching every single movement Felix made with a little too much interest. He was never going to speak about how beautiful and ethereal he thought the boy looked when he stood up outside of the pool, water rolling down off of his body. He also wasn’t going to admit it made him feel so flushed and warm he had dropped himself down into the water to cool off, swimming a few laps to remove his mind from the way Felix’s swim trunks and suctioned to his body in  _ all  _ the right places. 

They took turns talking and swimming until Felix felt the need to be playful, something Minho hadn’t expected of the usually so serious looking younger man. Minho had stood up, the water sitting at his shoulders when Felix swam under the water, popping up next to him, and splashing water harshly at him. Maybe it was the way he had shaken off like a puppy, or the blindingly adorable smile that made his eyes turn into tiny slits that removed any annoyance he would usually feel. Hell if Minho was honest with himself he might even believe it was just because it was  _ Felix.  _ He had splashed back, diving under the water to avoid any backlash, but when he popped up he just heard more laughter as Felix swam away from him, trying to kick water in the older boy's direction. They swam, laughed, smiled, and joked until they were breathless and tired. They did these things until it was with a great amount of effort that they hoisted themselves from the pool, grabbing their respective towels before drying off. Lying next to one another on separate pool chairs, the heated cushions welcome against their now cool skin. 

Then they talked. Not about anything in particular, but about anything that came into conversation. Felix had spoken more on how he had medals from swimming himself, how he had enjoyed it, but enjoyed art more. How he often felt discouraged to do art, but did it for himself. Minho had followed with similar sentiments, speaking about how his parents imagined an ideal life for him. One where he would be successful and acknowledged for his achievements, not one in which he danced for a living. While his parents allowed his dancing, they said his career had to be something ‘real’. Whatever that meant. It wasn’t until Jeongin sheepishly made his way out to them that they realized how much time had passed. They managed to miss lunch completely, dinner now being prepared. Minho and Felix gave Jeongin smiles that could be award winning as well as loud thanks due to their suddenly rumbling stomachs. 

Changing was quick and easy, turning away from one another already becoming a formed habit, one where it was less uneasy and more relaxed. Felix was dressed in a four sizes too big black tee with thin black joggers, flip flops adorning his feet. Minho on the other hand wore a plain blue tee, plaid shorts daring to slip off of his hips due to the weight he had lost recently from dancing more often. Minho led Felix out to the rear deck, his father and mother greeting them far too excitedly as they stood amongst the gathering of people. Both young men endlessly thankfully for how obscenely large the deck was, giving everyone there ample room to mingle and stand with more than enough room between them all. 

“How about a toast to this wonderful vacation?” Miyoung said, looking to her husband who picked up his beer, making sure to close the grill he was cooking the copious amounts of meat on before turning to look at everyone. Deasung smiled at her, holding his beer up before clearing his throat. 

“Here’s to this week that we get to spend with great friends, family, and loved ones…” the man glanced at his son smiling genuinely, for what seemed like the first time, before continuing. “Let it be full of great food, good laughs, and memories that we will treasure for years to come!” The man laughed boisterously as he clanked his beer against his friends before leaning down to kiss his wife. Everyone there who was a couple seemed to kiss, Minho looking over at Jeoning who seemed to be blushing for god knows what reason. Before the moment could pass, Minho felt eyes on him. He looked over to see his mother staring at him expectantly. He blinked a few times, giving her a shake of his head and shrug of his shoulders emoting, ‘what?’. 

“Don’t you want to kiss your boyfriend?” She questioned. 

Ah, that was it. She wanted Minho to  _ prove  _ he was dating Felix. She wanted to see them kiss, see them be more than a friendly type of physical. She wanted more proof that somehow her son wasn’t lying about being  _ gay _ . 

“Felix doesn’t really like pda…” He said, hesitantly, making sure his voice stayed even to not give away how nervous he was about being asked to kiss someone he hadn’t planned on kissing. He had assumed he would manage to go the whole trip without them having to kiss, because why on earth would his parents want to see him be intimate in any way with another man, especially if they didn’t really think he was gay? Just as he began to lose himself in his anxiety, Felix gently ran his hand down Minho’s arm, holding his wrist firmly, but in the most supportive way one could. The touch grounded him. When he spoke, his tone was obvious in it’s annoyance, it dripped from his deep voice, seeping into the air around them. 

“No, it’s fine. Who cares if I’m uncomfortable? As long as they believe we’re together so they stop thinking our relationship isn’t real and important.” Minho turned to look at Felix, swallowing hard, an obvious amount of anxiety seeping out of his eyes as Felix turned them. Then, as if it was the most natural thing on earth, Felix pulled him closer by his shorts, reaching up with one hand to hold the side of his neck as he kissed him. 

Minho was not expecting Felix’s lips to be so plush, so soft, so welcoming; to say the least. He wasn’t expecting for Felix to tilt his head, swiping his tongue gently across his bottom lip. He didn’t expect to open his own mouth slightly allowing him entrance as his own hands balled up in the baggy black shirt hanging off of Felix’s thin muscular frame. The final thing he hadn’t expected was for the kiss to make him dizzy, for it to metaphorically knock him on his ass. He was breathless, flushed red when Felix finally pulled away. The younger boy seemed to have no sense of embarrassment as he smiled happily with himself, turning to stare at Minho’s mother who clapped while looking rather flustered herself. Minho though, despite saying otherwise later, was hiding his face in sheer embarrassment against Felix’s neck. Inhaling the boys scent that was mixed with chlorine as he tried to regain some sense of the world after that mind blowing kiss. He had never been kissed like that, and in the back of his mind, the honesty poured out into the rest of his body when he suddenly realized that may be the last time he would feel Felix’s lips and tongue against his own. 


	4. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lazy day with chaos, how will the boys get through it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A GREAT APOLOGY FOR THIS BEING SO LONG
> 
> I have had the most horrible bout of writers block I've had in a while.   
> I've managed to finish this chapter, and I hope you all enjoy it, I had to write it differently to get back into it.   
> Thank you all for the wonderful comments and I promise to finish this series no matter what, especially since   
> so many people seem quiet invested in it~

If anyone had asked Minho if he would feel awkward about kissing someone as attractive as Felix, he surely would have said no. He would have laughed, snorted maybe at the idea that  _ he  _ would feel awkward at all after kissing. Yet, as they sat next to one another on the deck that was now void of anyone but themselves, he felt nothing other than the awkward air between the two of them. They hadn’t looked at one another after the dinner had ended. Instead they took part in sipping low alcohol content beer given to them by Minho’s father. The sun had set beautifully on the horizon, and they watched it in silence. That silence continued on, the only light illuminating the dark deck filtering out from inside the house. Minho, finally feeling brave enough to speak cleared his throat first. He had no reason to feel awkward, Felix was the one who had kissed him. 

“You know...you’re very good at kissing.” Minho glanced away, then back at Felix, trying to gauge his reaction. To his surprise the younger boy leaned back more comfortably, holding his beer in one hand while he looked Minho completely in his face. He seemed to scan the older boy's face, and if that did things to him he definitely wasn’t hiding it well. He surely wouldn’t say anything but the blush coating his cheeks was evident, and more evident once Felix decided to speak in his deep hushed voice. 

“Thanks...you’re not so bad yourself,” the younger laughed, nudging Minho before continuing, “your lips are really nice though. So fucking soft, I was surprised honestly.” Felix let his own eyes trail down to Minho’s lips, lingering there without much thought on what that could do. Minho sat across from him, his own eyes following suit and sliding down along Felix’s cute nose to his beautifully shaped lips. Without much thought the older boy, now feeling like he had an endless supply of courage, reached up slowly. He pressed his thumb lightly to the silver haired boy's lower lip, dragging it across, then pulling it down slightly to watch it spring back into place. 

Both of them were blushing at this point, the red in their faces quickly being pushed off as the beer with a few coughs to try and clear the air. Minho, with his hands back in his lap, looked away until Felix nudged him again, the dark blush hiding most of the boy's freckles. 

“I’m gonna head to bed, want to come?” Felix glanced at Minho one more time, the older boy just smiling his own embarrassment away before standing to follow Felix to the bedroom. Almost reflexively Felix took Minho’s hand in his own gently, guiding him like a lost puppy or small child to their shared bedroom. Along the way they were stopped by Minho’s parents, the couple asking how their first day was, then insisting that they shower before sleeping. Neither of them were going to, but they agreed anyway. Their room was thankfully one that had its own bathroom. Once they were inside of the bedroom Felix let their hands part, going to get ready by pulling off his pants and leaving his shirt on. 

Minho grabbed the clothes he intended to wear to sleep, making sure to tell Felix once he was done changing. They both plugged in their phone chargers and crawled into the queen size bed. Minho found himself lying under the sheet and blanket, the air conditioner was on full blast in their room. Felix on the other hand was lying there with his hands on his stomach, eyes trained on the ceiling. Eventually, really only after a minute or two, Felix turned his head to look at Minho. The older boy pushed his blonde and brown hair out of his face a bit, smiling as he rolled onto his side more comfortably. 

“Aren’t you cold?” 

“Not yet.” Felix chuckled lightly, the melody of his laugh carrying through the air like it was its very own song. Minho was definitely drawn to this, not that he would allow himself to dwell on it for too long, of course he wouldn’t. 

“You’re alright..right Felix? With Hyunjin being here and all? If not, we can talk about it.” Minho reached out and placed his hand on Felix’s arm for a moment before pulling it away when they both looked at it, the touching seeming to linger a little too long, even if neither of them would complain about it. 

“Yeah I guess. It’s not like he’s being overly talkative to me or annoying so, it’s fine. I’m not really mad about it anyway truthfully.” The younger boy smiled, but Minho could tell there was something hiding behind that smile. Before he could comment on it, or ask what he was keeping to himself Felix changed the topic quickly. “So you said you like Jisung, what do you actually feel for him?” His eyes were inquisitive, and even though Minho found himself getting lost in the beautiful pools of brown, he answered. 

“Everything I guess? I don’t really know…” Minho paused, rolling onto his own back now, eyes going over the ceiling he had seen so many times before. “I like how passionate he is, how comfortable I feel around him. It’s just easy with him I suppose…” After that he shrugged. There wasn’t much more to say, he hadn’t ever put much thought into  _ what  _ he exactly liked about his squirrely friend. For the next hour they talked about nothing in particular. Felix eventually found himself sliding under the sheet and blanket, seeking Minho’s ambient warmth to heat him up as they both fell asleep. 

The morning brought a bout of rapid knocks on their bedroom door which awoke Minho before it did Felix. It prompted angry swearing as well as the culprit telling Minho to mind his manners, not to Felix’s surprise it was the older boy’s father. Eventually they both rose from bed, showered and made their appearance at the free for all breakfast that occurred. Despite still being groggy and slightly damp, Felix found himself watching the small interactions between Jeongin and Hyunjin. When Minho had inquired what was so interesting to Felix, he merely replied that Jeongin had been closer to him than Hyunjin, and it seemed a bit different now. It seemed like there was something between them that wasn’t there before. He shrugged it off saying how it could have just been that they grew closer once Felix had become busier with school around the same time Hyunjin started to date Seungmin. 

It wasn’t until after their walk on the beach, hand in hand until they were out of sight, that they were able to relax again. It was interesting, on both of their parts, to feel so at ease as they sat in the warm sand talking about their childhoods. Felix spoke fondly of Australia, about how Chris had come to visit a lot after he moved, and about the two of them would surf together even if poorly. He had laughed to the point of tears after telling Minho about a time Chris thought he was being attacked by a jellyfish when it was only a patch of seaweed. After a few pointed childhood stories about the atrocities of living with his parents, Minho found himself regretting not putting on sunscreen. Felix had hoisted him up then, and drug him along until they found a few trees to sit under that were shaking some sand. 

It was nice, spending hours just talking. They eventually made their way to get drinks and food only to bring it back to the very spot under the trees they had been before. Minho had told Felix that he truthfully just wanted to avoid his parents for as long as possible, and that staying out almost the whole day wouldn’t bother him if it didn’t bother Felix. The younger boy had commented on how he didn’t mind, then he proceeded to make sure after their lunch they waded into the cool ocean water to relax. There wasn’t much room for thinking when they were both laughing and talking, and even when their hands brushed together on their walk back, it just felt...right. 

After all was said and done, after they returned to the house where Minho was immediately swept away by his parents to help prepare dinner, Felix found himself lounging on the lower floor. His phone was held tenderly in his hand, a video playing quietly in the silence of the house. When rustling was heard he turned his head, preparing to see Minho looking angered and probably a bit disheveled. It was in fact, however, not Minho who Felix ended up locking eyes with. Instead it was his tall slender friend, Hyunjin. If he could call them friends at this point. They hadn’t really spoken for months, and it wasn’t that Felix was upset with him, it was that he had no idea how to talk to someone dating his ex-boyfriend. Quickly placing his phone into his pocket Felix went to stand, readying to leave so as to not disturb Hyunjin with whatever he may have wanted to do. 

Just as he was about to walk past the taller boy, he was blocked by the same body. Felix let his dark brown eyes go up to meet Hyunjins, confusion written all across his face. Hyunjin, on the other hand, looked rather distressed. The dark haired boy rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Felix stepped back, annoyance clear on his delicate features. 

“What?” His voice sounded a bit harsh, there was definitely a bite to it that he hadn’t kiwIintended to have. This caused Hyunjin to look away, his nervousness showing more as he refused to make eye contact now. 

“I just...wanted to apologize...to let you know I have no idea why Seungmin broke up with you or anything…” Hyunjin paused, taking a glance at Felix for a brief second, possibly mustering the courage to continue. “I’m really just sorry for all of it. For not talking to you...for even saying yes to dating him so soon after he broke up with you I just...I don’t know...it was shitty and I’ve missed you…” There was another pause, and Felix had intended to speak he really did, but before he could Hyunjin cut him off in order to continue. “He broke up with me too.” Felix stared at his friend for a moment, his previous annoyance turning into an apologetic stare. 

“I’m sorry Jinnie…” Felix began, his voice low and soft, any amount of bother or bite that was in it before gone completely. “I’m sorry that he hurt you as well…” Felix could tell by the tears welling up in his emotional friends eyes, that he was indeed hurt. They were both scorned by the same man, someone they had both decided to trust their hearts with, and that was cause for a hug. Or at least in Felix’s mind he figured they could both use one right about now. So he wrapped his arms around his taller friend that hugged him back just as tightly. 

During his emotional, and eye opening, interaction with Hyunjin Felix had managed to hear Minho’s voice carry down the stairs. It was laced with annoyance and contempt, he was arguing with his father and mother once again, only this time it was in hushed tones, likely close to the stairs and away from others. After quickly excusing himself from Hyunjin, the silver haired Australian walked up the stairs and feigned surprise mixed with excitement. 

  
“Minho!” Felix exclaimed, quickly grabbing his ‘boyfriends’ hand. “I’m so glad I found you quickly. Hyunjin told me about this amazing ice cream shop, it closes soon so we should go there now.” He grinned brightly at the older boy's parents before dragging him away and out the front door of their vacation home. Minho stared perplexed at Felix until they were a good enough distance away from the house. The younger boy stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Minho. “I heard them arguing with you, figured you’d like an excuse to get away instead of staying and being berated for nothing.”

Minho wished beyond anything that he had words to convey his thanks to Felix. Instead he blushed, turned away, and mumbled his thanks as he followed the younger man down the road. It had turned out that Hyunjin hadn’t told Felix about the ice cream place at all, in fact the younger was doing his own research before they had arrived in town. He had proclaimed reading more than enough positive google reviews about how good the waffles were that ice cream could be put into. Minho was intrigued, never having gone to such a place. Usually, if he was brutally honest, he spent most of his time doing what his parents told him, or walking along the beach to get away from them on these trips. Once they made it to the quaint ice cream shop, Felix made sure to stand with his body pressed against Minhos, offering some support. He could still feel the anxiousness and annoyance rolling off of the older boy in waves. 

Waffles filled with ice cream were ordered, Felix preferring strawberry and chocolate while Minho helped himself to coffee topped with chocolate drizzle. They sat at a small table near the window, happily munching on their sweet treat. All the while Felix continued to allow his gaze to drift to Minho, the older boy allowing it to go until the stare began to linger. 

“Do I have something on my face?” He inquired, picking up his napkin. Felix gave a small laugh with a shake of his head. 

“No, I was just thinking.” He mused to himself, taking another bite of waffle mixed with ice cream. 

“What about?” 

“Well, how anyone would be lucky to date you.” 

Minho paused for a moment, setting his treat down and furrowing his eyebrows. He took a few moments to collect his thoughts before speaking. He watched as Felix continued to slowly eat his ice cream and waffle, looking at him with a great deal of expectation. 

“I don’t really know if that’s true…” Minho started, his voice small, “no one I’ve been interested has really, you know, stuck around.” Felix nodded in response, he completely understood. He wasn’t a stranger to people saying they wanted him only to leave him for the next hot person they met. 

“I bet we’ve both dated some real losers.” Felix chuckled, reaching across the table to pat Minho’s hand with his own. 

“Oh definitely, most people judge me when they first meet me too, making it hard to find people interested in the first place.” Minho shrugged, going back to eating his own dessert. Felix paused for a moment, nodding in silence, he knew that feeling too. He always found that people judged him for how he looked instead of getting to know him. Or judged him based off of what others said about him. 

“How do they usually judge you?” He glanced at Minho who swallowed, ready to answer it seemed. 

“They think I’m cold...aloof, uninterested…” there was a small pause for him to gather himself, “but I’m not those things, I just don’t open up so fast like some other people do.” Felix smiled at him. 

“Ah, that’s rude…” Felix wiped his mouth, his own eyes gazing out the window before speaking his own truth, “people usually think I’m some dumb slut, or that I’m just a pretty face or something...no one gets to know me for me really. And when it makes me angry, they just assume they’re right and that I’m only skin level deep or something.” He shrugged his shoulders in defeat, going back to eating the last of his waffle. There was a mutual silence between them now, stares lingering as they switched where they were looking every so often. Sometimes their eyes would meet for a brief moment, then divert to look at something else. “I’m really insecure about it all honestly. I don’t think I’m good enough, or that attractive, and I just...I don’t know...no one that has ever dated me or wanted me didn’t want someone they thought was better...even while with me…” A heavy sigh left his mouth, Minho now staring only at him. 

“Yeah...me too…” His voice was just above a whisper as their eyes met. The realization that this entire outing, these shared words and feelings were suddenly too intimate for their liking. Or maybe that was just it, that it was so incredibly intimate. That maybe they both liked it a little bit more than they would admit, that the close proximity in this tiny ice cream shop while the sun set over the ocean was kind of ideal. That while this moment would be locked in time, it would at least be locked in time with them in it. Maybe that’s what kept it from falling apart while they finished their treats. 

Perhaps that was what kept it all together, like glue, when they walked back to the vacation home, hands occasionally brushing, begging to be held. Hell, it might have even been what held everything together the moment the dinner they arrived back to began to fall apart. It could even be what kept the smiles on their faces as their hands found one another under the table, fingers lacing before their night began to spiral out of control. 

At first dinner did seem fine, everything was normal. Various conversations occurring here and there. It wasn’t until Minho’s parents zoned in on them that things began to become a bit complicated, a tad hectic to say the least. At first the questions were nothing weird, nothing too bad, but then came the questions that left both boys a bit stressed on the inside, yet somehow still holding it together.

“So,” Daesung began, “what’s Felix’s major?” his eyes drifted to his son, intent on having him answer. Minho visibly swallowed, thankful that this was one of the things they had managed to cover. 

“He’s an art major.” He smiled, looking over at Felix who just nodded in response, his mouth full of food. When he was finished he laughed a bit before speaking his voice carrying a hint of annoyance despite him trying to lighten the mood. 

“Before you ask, my parents don’t approve.” He chuckled again, this time reaching down to squeeze Minho’s hand for reassurance. The next question came quickly, but it hit far heavier than the previous one. This time Minho’s mother asked. 

“How do your parents feel about you being gay?” The entire table seemed to go quiet, save for a few hushed whispers. Felix flexed his jaw then swallowed. His adams apple bobbing visibly, muscles tense as he scanned his brain for the right answer. Before Minho could make some snarky remark about how you can’t just ask people you don’t know very well something so personal, Felix chimed in. 

“They’re perfectly fine with it. I came out a long time ago, and they are nothing but supportive. They might think my major is a waste of my time, but they love me and trust me to make my own decisions regarding my life and happiness.” he smiled sweetly, his voice never wavering as he spoke. 

“Do you plan to stay with my song long term then?” Miyoung continued. Minho, who had been drinking from his glass choked on the liquid, coughing and sputtering as he tried to cover his mouth with his napkin. Everyone else was looking away at this point, embarrassed for all involved with this line of questioning. Felix lifted his eyebrows, while rubbing Minho’s back. 

“I really can’t make that call, we’ve only been dating for like two months…” he paused only to look at Minho’s parents, staring right at the pair of them across the table, “it would be convenient to marry him though, since neither of us would have to change our last name.” He laughed a bit, watching as Minho blushed and hung his head down, trying to clear his windpipe from his drink still. Felix cleared his own throat before continuing, looking back at the older couple, a serious tone and expression on his face now. “Whoever does marry your son will be lucky. He’s an amazing man, and you should both know that.” Felix glanced at Minho, his glance turning into a stare while he watched the older boy blush. 

It may not have been evident to Felix or Minho in that moment, but the others at the table saw the way Felix looked at the older boy. They saw the way he seemed to behave and look as if Minho was the only other person on earth right then and there. Minho, too, was guilty of this. Thankfully someone at the table had suggested drinks at this point, both of them taking that offer quickly. The drinks came fast, a few of them being downed in between dinner and the time they spent wandering the house once dinner was over. Eventually they meandered down to the beach that crept up under the deck of the house. They sat under it, leaning back on both of their elbows in the soft sand, laughing and joking about the atrocity that they called dinner. 

Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was the lighting or the mood. Maybe it was the lingering feelings buzzing through their veins from the ice cream shop, or maybe it was just that they wanted to. But after laughing about how terrible dinner was they locked eyes. A stare that lasted a bit longer than usual. This time alone with only the sound of waves rolling onto the beach in the distance, they leaned in. Lips moved slowly and lazily against one another, both boys holding some part of the other. Nothing was rushed, nothing was hard or desperate, the kiss was wandering and almost inquisitive. A few moments later they came up for air, eyes glazed over. 

After the mutual decision to head back to their room was made, they found themselves standing on either side of the bed. They had changed and brushed their teeth, and now getting into bed together was a bit daunting. Much to both of their intrigue they moved at the same time, crawling under the blanket and scooting closer to one another than usual. Dark eyes met in the dark room, the only light coming from under the door. Lips would meet once again, the kiss slow and full of tongue this time. Twenty minutes, twenty whole minutes of lazy tired kissing was all it took for them to fall asleep holding onto one another, brains fuzzy and full of emotions neither of them would name. It was likely this was going to be shoved off as the alcohol, but nothing would be certain until the morning came.


End file.
